1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wrenches and specifically to a combination ratchet, gear drive and socket type wrench.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years a wide variety of wrenches have been developed for a variety of particular purposes. These have included fixed jaw wrenches, suitable for working with a single size nut or bolt to the more modern types of vice grips and adjustable wrenches. Additionally, a variety of right angle ratchet and socket drive wrenches, some gear driven or combining ratchet and gear drives have been developed.
Exemplary of such prior art wrenches are those disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,333,532, issued to Berk; 1,832,663, issued to Small; 2,703,030, issued to Marvin; 2,834,239, issued to Mancini; 3,707,893, issued to Hofman; 3,733,936, issued to Flynn; 3,972,252, issued to Hunter; 4,086,829, issued to Hudgins; 4,128,025, issued to Main et al; and 4,137,801, issued to Imperio.
The Hudgins wrench is a right angle ratchet wrench in which an internally located drive shaft is provided within a body. The shaft terminates at a bevel gear which is used to rotate a tang or lug. A clutch assembly at the end of the handle is used to translate rotational movement of the handle below a predetermined torque level to that bevel gear and when that torque level is reached so that further rotation of the handle will not be able to rotate the drive lug, the wrench can be used as an ordinary wrench, in an oscillating fashion, to further tighten the socket attached to lug 47. The drive shaft is permanently connected to the handle and axial movement of the handle moves the drive shaft and its bevel gear out of driving engagement with the tang.
Hofman also shows a right angle ratchet wrench comprised of a main tubular body member having an internal drive shaft terminating a bevel gear at one end and a bail fixed to the other. A sleeve type handle is rotatably mounted to the main tubular body and is provided with perpendicular cross-slots in its end in which the bail can be placed. The slots have different depths and by changing the bail from one to the other, the drive bevel gear is moved in and out of engagement with the tang. The handle can rotate so that when the bail is in one groove, the tang will be rotated and when in the second groove, the bevel gear will be disengaged and rotation of the handle has no driving affect.
Main et al and Imperio also show right angle ratchet wrenches which like Hofman and Hudgins are comprised of hollow body members with internal drive shafts rotatably mounted therein. Each has a handle or knob coupled to the internal drive shaft and rotation thereof causes rotation of the drive shaft and a lug drivingly connected to the opposite end of the drive shaft. Both patents show various means for selectively moving the drive shaft so that the bevel gear at its drive end is in or out of contact with the drive lug.
Flynn discloses a right angle ratchet wrench that also employs a drive knob, like Main et al, for rotating a drive shaft mounted within a tubular handle. Marvin discloses a ratchet wrench that includes a hand crank for high speed operation and the crank, as it is moved into and out of its operational position, also moves the drive shaft to engage and disengage a drive bevel gear with the tang.
Each of the above include ratcheting means of some type in the head or tang end of the wrenches, thus, making each a relatively complicated structure.
Hunter, Berk and Small show other types of wrenches and Mancini shows a type of roller friction ratcheting device. We are also aware of one way clutch assemblies disclosed on page 7 of the pictorial handbook of technical devices published in 1971 by the Chemical Publishing Co., Inc.